When Otti Was Writing For Sahara, Condemning All Gov's, I Warned Him That I'd Come After Him

Human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, has revealed that he once warned Alex Otti that he would openly criticize him if he eventually became a governor and failed to meet the high standards he once demanded from other leaders.

Speaking in a video posted on his official YouTube channel, Sowore reflected on Otti’s time as a columnist for Sahara Reporters before entering politics. According to him, Otti regularly wrote articles that strongly criticized the performance of governors across Nigeria, often raising issues about accountability, governance, and leadership failures.

Sowore explained that Otti was very committed to his work as a columnist and was known for submitting articles very early in the morning. He recalled that the economist-turned-politician would sometimes wake him up as early as 4 a.m. to ensure his articles were published promptly. The activist noted that Otti’s writings were often sharp critiques of governors, outlining what he believed good governance should look like.

Despite their friendship, Sowore said he warned Otti at the time that the same critical standards he applied to other leaders would also be applied to him if he ever held public office. According to Sowore, he made it clear that he would not hesitate to hold Otti accountable if his performance in office did not match the expectations set by his earlier commentaries.

He further stated that when Otti later became governor, those earlier articles criticizing governors were still available on Sahara Reporters. Sowore said this reminded him of the strong positions Otti had taken while writing about governance.

Sowore also recounted visiting Aba in Abia State after Otti assumed office and said he questioned the level of praise the governor was receiving. According to him, he did not observe anything he considered particularly outstanding during the visit, which led him to question the widespread commendation of Otti’s administration.

The comments were part of a broader reflection by Sowore on the responsibilities that come with leadership and the expectations placed on those who previously criticized public officials….See More